SANTA BARBARA — Preparations are underway for the first “Flavors of Santa Barbara County” wine and culinary event featuring a farm-to-table chef competition set for Sunday, August 2 at Presqu’ile Winery in Santa Maria. The cook-off will feature chefs who will use locally grown produce to prepare dishes for judging. The winner takes home the top chef competition “Farmer’s Choice Award” and $500.
Each chef will use produce from Santa Barbara County growers. “The farms will be selected from those participating in the 2nd Annual Santa Barbara County Farm Day taking place September 19,” says Mary Maranville, CEO/founder of Students for Eco-Education and Agriculture (SEEAG), which puts on Farm Day each year. “We are now actively seeking top chefs in the region to participate. The event is an opportunity to highlight the chefs’ culinary skills and showcase the abundance of produce grown in the county.”
Only five chefs will be selected. To be considered, entrants must be professional working chefs in Santa Barbara County specializing in farm-to-table fare. Besides produce, each selected chef will receive a stipend for the ingredients needed to prepare food creations for the up to 500 guests expected to attend the August 2 event.
Flavors of Santa Barbara County hours are 11 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. The cost is $30 per person (food only, wine will be sold by the glass). Discounts apply for Presqu’ile Wine Club members. Tickets go on sale in May 2020.
Proceeds will benefit SEEAG’s youth agricultural education programs in Santa Maria Valley. Chefs can apply by going to (www.SantaBarbaraCountyFarmDay.com/chefswanted). For more information about Flavors of Santa Barbara County, call SEEAG at 805-901-0213.
About SEEAG: Founded in 2008, Students for Eco-Education and Agriculture (SEEAG) is a nonprofit organization that aims to help young students understand the origins of their food by bridging the gap between agriculture and consumption through its free agricultural education programming. Since it began, over 40,000 elementary school students in Southern California have increased their understanding of the food journey. SEEAG also hosts Farm Day in Santa Barbara County and Ventura County. Farms, ranches, nurseries and other agricultural operations, from organic to conventional, row crops to orchards, open their doors on Farm Day so the public can experience a day of agricultural learning firsthand. This free event connects the community with its farming neighbors. For more information, visit www.seeag.org.